The Orange Toad Sage
by CurtisRAW
Summary: An abused Naruto taken in by the toads, trained and returned in time for graduation. This is a first draft, will be replaced shortly. Please give feedback.


**Naruto of Mount Myoboku**

**Chp1: Homecoming**

Naruto sat surrounded by the forest, studying the forbidden jutsu scroll for the one that would allow him to pass. "Damn." He muttered. "Everything looks so complicated except that kage bunshin and it has two derivatives, so if I learn this one, I'll have three new jutsu."

Within minutes he was flanked by two copies. "Hi, I'm Naruto."

"So am I." replied clone 1.

"Hey," said Naruto as his second clone dug into his pockets. "What's the matter with you?"

"You're wasting time," it replied as it started copying jutsu from the scroll to the one from Naruto's pocket. "Mizuki-sensei may turn up any moment."

"Yea, right, good thinking," Naruto replied. "Anyway, so you guys have all my memories, and I learn what you do when you dispel." He began as he started a conversation with his copies.

An hour later…

Naruto stood from collecting kunai from around the clearing when Iruka landed and shouted "I found you Naruto. What the hell were you thinking, stealing the-"

"Hey Iruka-sensei, I've been waiting forever. So, now is where you test me and I graduate."

Iruka blinked, "what are you talking about Naruto?"

"The make-up test Mizuki-sensei told me about." He replied. "If I get the scroll from the tower, learn a jutsu and meet him here, I pass."

"Mizuki?" questioned Iruka when he heard the sound of weapons flying and screamed "Get down" as he covered Naruto resulting of a few of said weapons stabbing him in the back.

Iruka pushed himself off Naruto's body. "Mizuki, you bastard, what are you doing."

"Don't be daft Iruka." He answered then turning to Naruto. "Naruto, give me the scroll."

"Don't Naruto, that scroll contains the forbidden jutsu of all the Hokages, it could spell doom for the village. Mizuki used you in order to get it for himself." Iruka explained to a confused Naruto.

"Don't listen to him Naruto, he's only afraid of your potential with that scroll. In fact, he's been lying to you your whole life, the entire village has been. There's a law, a law passed down about you twelve years ago from the day you were born, the reason everyone hates you."

"Shut up Mizuki!" screamed Iruka.

"I will tell you the truth, a truth that everyone but you knows. The law forbids anyone from revealing the fact th-"

"Gahh," yelled Iruka as he bowled over Mizuki from the tree. The two scuffled on the floor until Mizuki managed to get ontop and bashed Iruka in the head with the blunt end of his kunai then stabbed him in the stomach.

As he rose from the unconscious Iruka, Naruto saw the kunai dripping with blood. "You killed Iruka sensei, you killed him."

Mizuki chuckled at the demon's stunned expression. "He isn't dead, yet. He's bleeding out, unless someone can get him to a medic soon. But why would you, he hates you as much as I do. After all, you did kill his parents."

"No, I didn't. I-I wouldn't-"

"Of course, that secret I was about to tell you about. The truth is Naruto is that you are the nine tailed fox, the same fox that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village, the same one that killed the fourth Hokage.

Naruto's eyes widened in realisation. The glares, the beatings, the loneliness, it all made sense now. As much as he wanted Mizuki to be lying he sensed the truth in his words. But still… 'Iruka sensei, he believed in me. And if I don't help him now, he's going to die.' Naruto thought. "I'm going to save Iruka-sensei." He said with resolve.

"Haha, and how are you going to do that, a worthless academy student against an elite Chunin." He taunted.

"If I really am a demon, you should be afraid" yelled Naruto as he threw his kunai towards Mizuki causing him to laugh until "kunai kage-bunshin no jutsu" a veritable wall of kunai phased into existence. It was all he could do but to protect his face.

Quickly looking over himself he found that he was hit in both thighs, one in his stomach and both his arms were injured. He'd be hard pressed to escape the village in this state. The only chance was to kill the demon and blame him for the entire ordeal. He cast a bloodied glare to the Naruto who stared back in awe of his work.

"Blasted demon, I'll kill you for this" yelled Mizuki as he made a staggered sprint towards Naruto. As Naruto made a punch he blocked it, made a rapid assault on his body and kicked him away into a tree. "So brat, you won't lay a finger on me even in this state. Tell you what; I'll give you one last freebie before I kill you for all you've done, for the good people of this village."

Mizuki hit hard, Naruto was in pain. Not the worst he's had but it was definitely up there, like he cracked his skull open on the tree.

He gradually rose from his downed state and face his traitorous sensei "Bastard sensei, I'll return that a thousand times over" h growled as he created his hand sign. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"

Mizuki's jaw dropped in fear and astonishment, he was completely surrounded by a sea of orange. At the Narutos' battle cry he couldn't help but release a whimper.

Moments later Iruka regained consciousness in time to see Naruto and his clones finishing off the bloody pulp that was Mizuki.

"N-Naruto you-"

"Well, I guess I passed his test, but it was fake so it doesn't matter anyway" he said as he and two clones prepared to transport Iruka to the hospital while another three took the scroll to the Hokage.

In the hospital a few hours later Iruka laid on a gurney wrapped up like a mummy, obviously he was more injured than he originally thought. He glanced over to Naruto who was looking incredibly nervous as they awaited the Hokage in the ANBU guarded hospital room.

"Iruka-kun, how are you feeling?" asked a venerable red-robed man as he entered the room.

"H-Hokage-sama, I am doing well, thanks to Naruto over here." Iruka stutter as his thoughts were miles away.

"Yes Naruto, it would seem congratulations are in order. You did your village a great service this day. You're on your way to becoming a fine ninja"

"Thanks jiji" replied Naruto with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"So Naruto can you report what happened today? Such events need to be documented" the Hokage questioned, prompting Naruto to recall they day's events.

"So he didn't say anything else, are you absolutely certain Naruto?"

"Yea, just the normal 'die demon brat' and I'm used to that" he replied dejectedly.

"Someday they'll see you Naruto" said the Hokage dropping something wrapped in blue cloth n Naruto's lap. "Congratulations on your first B-rank Genin Uzumaki." He said as he walked out the door.

Naruto looked on as the door closed behind the Kage then turned to Iruka's grinning face. He then started to unravel the blue bundle on his lap and was greeted with the silver gleam of the Konoha insignia.

An unrestrained scream of "YATTA!" was heard throughout the hospital.

The night before team selections as Naruto slept a cloud of smoke appeared in his kitchen only to disperse and reveal a tall blond figure with two toads on his shoulder. The first toad was green with grey hair, eyebrows and beard and a grey full-body cloak. The other toad was green with a purple mouth and head; she wore a black cloak like the first toad.

Finally was the tall blond figure, he wore black ninja sandals and pants tied with orange rope from shin to ankle. A black V-neck sleeveless, high collared shirt with orange chain-mail underneath and black arm-sleeved gloves with orange metal plates with spirals embedded on each. He also carried orange forearm guards with vine-like designs inscribed. On his waist was an orange sash. Over his clothes was a short sleeved cloak which was red with black flames on the knee-length bottom, on the back of the cloak read the kanji "Toad Sage of Myobokuzan." Below the kanji and back horizontal to his back was a tanto with an orange guard and sheath and a large red scroll.

"So we're back Naruto-boy. Time to start your life as you parents would've wanted." said the green toad as Naruto looked around the small apartment.

It was a mess with ramen cups strewn about the floor and there wasn't much, a small kitchenette with a stove and fridge, a TV with a stone smashed through the screen and a small table with two chairs. The curtains were curtains were drawn tightly and there were three doors in the room, most likely the bedroom, bathroom and outside.

Noticing the melancholy expression on the boy's face the purple toad spoke up. "Don't worry Naru-chan, you're always welcome with us, you're our saviour afterall. You can visit anytime, but now it's time to be with your own people."

A faint smile appeared on the boy's face, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Arigato, Fuka-ji-sama," he said looking to the green toad and, "Shima-baa-sama." to the other.

Shima jumped and bopped Naruto in the head hard. "How many times have I told you about using those honorifics with us." she asked with her arms akimbo.

"Gomen-nasai baa-chan." he grumbled rubbing his head gingerly.

Let's not waste more time Naruto-boyo, five years is a lot of memories to assimilate." Said Fukasaku was he jumped down and started scribbling seals to the floor. "this should help with controlling the chakra and any backlash."

"Baa-chan, Jiji, these memories, they won't change me will they? I mean, I doubt we have the same personalities and such." inquired Naruto nervously.

"I don't believe so boyo, you should remember everything from his perspective but personality-wise. You should remain the same, though I could be wrong."

"Naru-chan, you've studied for days using hundreds of shadow-clones and haven't suffered more than an overnight headache since you were little. You'll do fine, besides, with meditation and sage-mode, you can control the rate of assimilation and heal any damage from memory overload instantaneously."

"Ok, let's get this over with." Said Naruto as he sat lotus style in the middle of the seal Fukasaku drew. Slowly as he meditated his eye grew the orange pigmentation around them.

"Ok boyo, dispel the clone, we'll stay with you till you're finished" said Fukasaku. Then the tell tale sound of the dispelling clone was heard from the bedroom as Naruto's brow furrowed in concentration.

The day of the genin team selections found Naruto walking toward the academy. He was thinking on the life of the Naruto he had just absorbed, he found it scary to believe that would be him had he not been taken in by the Toads.

As he walked he couldn't help but notice the glares and muttering as he passed. The feeling that they evoked within him, his body was actually fighting between casting his own glare or a big stupid oblivious grin in defiance. It was weird, almost like the blood clone Naruto was like a little brother and now he felt protective over him and maybe even a little vindictive.

To avoid the villagers, Naruto turned through a vacant alley. He turned his thoughts to what he would do if confronted about his skills. At the moment he had his resistance seals up level to severely restrict his speed. He couldn't use his toad kumite style was but the other one he was making was fair game. Derived from two separate styles melded into one.

Honestly he was worthless as a ninja and the events with the traitorous sensei was ample reason for a change. Maybe he should be thankful to Mizuki.

Then he noticed a kid hiding against the fence of the alley with camouflage of the same fence held the wrong way. 'Konohamaru' he thought. Thinking back of his other persona's life.

This kid actually looked up to him and it was something the other him, the clone needed. They both shared the same dream, to be Hokage; to be honest, he saw the clone as a younger brother that was he'd lost. And even if only in honour of him, he'd acknowledge young Konohamaru too.

And realistically speaking, he knew he couldn't become Hokage. If was the elder Toad Sage's words were to be believed, he couldn't afford to be stuck behind a desk. That and the village would never accept him. The Sandaime was old, he'd retired on the Yondaime but after his sacrifice he had taken back up the mantle. He was the longest reigning kage in all the elemental nations.

Even if Konohamaru was to become the Hokage, he was too young and the third could not be expected to hang on that long. They'd need a fifth and the only one's viable for such a position were the sannin. It was also a concern how they were to be rising so fast: Kumo, Suna and Kiri were to the Yondaime and Iwa the Sandaime.

"Ohayo Konohamaru" he said as he walked past the boy.

The boy promptly jumped from behind his disguise and gestured to Naruto "To see through my disguise so easily, I chose wisely to have you as my boss." He declared grandly.

Naruto merely rose an eyebrow in silence till the boy shuffled his feet awkwardly. The he let out a guffawed laugh.

"Bossss, what are you laughing at? Let's go play ninja."

Sobering up Naruto looked the boy in the eye. "Sorry Kono, today I'm meeting my team" he answered. "What are you doing today."

"Nothing today, I really wanted to play ninja like last time, but I start the academy next week." He finished with a big grin.

He gave a huge grin of his own. "Congratulation Konohamaru, I'm proud of you" he said ruffling the boy's hair "This means you're one step closer."

"Yea, I'm gonna be Hokage in no time." He giggled "You won't beat be ni-san."

"Walk with me Konohamaru-kun, and pay attention to your surroundings" said Naruto before creating a kage bunshin which continued to the academy and walking back towards the market district himself with Konohamaru in tow.

As they walked Naruto gauged the reaction of the civilians and those of Konohamaru. He could see some itching to warn the boy off Naruto, a passive flare of killing intent stalled the braver ones. Seeing the boy's curiosity sufficiently piqued he turned off into an abandoned alley.

"Ano Naruto-nisan, what happened? They look as angry as Ji-san when I nearly burned down the house."

Naruto stooped to the boy's eye level. "Konohamaru, what I want to tell you is classified as a village secret. You understand what that means don't you. For revealing a D or ranked secret you can be punished at the Hokage's discretion, a C B and A ranked you can be imprisoned for an indeterminate amount of time and for an S ranked secret is death. What I wish to share with you is an S ranked secret. Do you accept?

Konohamaru looked back at him slacked jawed, then with a solemn but determined expression on his face. "A Hokage has to keep secrets to keep his village safe all the time. Sure nisan, your secret is safe with me" he replied.

With his acceptance Naruto both disappeared to the top of the Yondaime monument.

"Woah nisan, that was cool. Can you teach me shunshin?"

"Sorry but that wasn't shunshin, it's something totally different, made it myself. Anyway we're about something else, have a seat." Naruto directed the boy to sit on a flat area. "This is my favourite spot in the whole village, on the Yondaime's head. From here we can look down on the entire village, this is what we fight to protect with our will of fire."

"The old-man talks about that all the time. What is it anyway?"

"It's something passed down from generation to generation, all the way from the first Hokage. It's the will to protect. It's like- well it guess it's different for everybody. For instance, it's like fighting for somebody's life. If you only fight for yourself it's easy to give up cause you're not letting anyone down but when it's someone else you don't have a choice but to win cause you don't what them to get hurt."

"Just like kaa-san."

"Hm?"

"When I was little some bad men broke in and beat kaa-san up. They said if I didn't get in the bag and come quiet they'd kill Kaa-san" said Konohamaru. There was silence between them. "They killed her anyway" he finished solemnly.

"Yea, it's like that. Sorry for bringing that up."

"The night the Kyuubi attacked, it was really powerful" Naruto began ending the awkward pause. "They're nine tailed beast each with corresponding tails and they can't be killed but they can be sealed. Most can be sealed into objects but the seven to nine tailed beast each need a human host. That night the Yondaime sealed away the Kyuubi into a child at the cost of his own life declaring the boy a hero in his stead for the sacrifice he didn't have a choice in."

"But I thought-"

"Let me finish. As the boy grew up the people in the village hated him in place of the Fox. This caused the Sandaime to create a law making the relationship of the boy and the Fox an S-ranked secret in the hopes that the hatred of the boy not be passed down to the next generation. He never made friends anyway, the adults couldn't say anything about the fox but they told the children to say away from him, that he was evil and he never knew why. Others just picked up on their hate. And they're eyes" Naruto continued with his eyes closed and his fist clenched, "you've heard the saying eyes are windows to the soul, when they look at you with those eye it's like the world is sitting on your chest, like you're less than human."

"Boss" interrupted Konohamaru tears streaming down his face.

"As he got older he survived many assassination attempts and beatings, especially on his birthday, the day the fox attacked. They'd form mobs to hunt him down, beat him and stab him with pitch-forks and kunai, even some ninja would join in. And when the ANBU would conveniently arrive after he was a bloody pulp the medic in the hospital would refuse to heal him." He was interrupted when a pair of arms embraced him.

"Nisan, I-I"

"Don't worry. Things changed, he decided he'd earn their respect. Keep a smile on his face, maybe a few pranks.

"You're late!" screamed Sakura as Kakashi appeared in the clearing of training ground seven. "Where's that baka Naruto, if we fail because of him."

"I was asleep before you starting screeching" said Naruto as he dropped from the canopy above wearing a fishnet vest and his orange jacket tied to his waist. "Inside voice Sakura."

"Naruto-baka" she said as she clenched her fist and advanced upon him. "How long were you here?"

"Hmm, just before sunrise I guess" he replied scratching behind his head when he noticed Sakura take a swipe at him. Which he ducked under and pretended to dust off his shoes.

Sakura nearly toppled over as she missed him while Sasuke glared as he had not sensed or heard Naruto.

"Eh-hem!"

"You're late!" screeched the girl again before realisation dawned on her face. "Oh sorry sensei."

"Yea well a black cat crossed my path so I took the long way around." Kakashi replied lazily.

"Liar!"

"Anyway" he started as he pulled out an alarm clock. "you have until noon to get these two bells from me. You have to come at me with the intent to kill or you won't have a chance. And if you don't get a bell, you'll be tied up to one of those stumps and have to watch the others eat lunch."

"But sensei, there's only two bells," Sakura said. "That means that one of us will be tied up."

"And sent back to the academy," he replied nonchalantly. "So let's begin."

Both Sasuke and Sakura disappeared into the surrounding foliage leaving Naruto looking Kakashi up and down. Kakashi merely stared back at him. The boy started to approach the jonin in a casual walk.

"May I have a bell jonin-san?" he asked.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the boy in wonder "Seriously?"

"Well yea, it's be a pretty messed up world if everyone just took what they wanted." He replied "True" replied the jonin. "Sorry but no, would be much of a test if I just gave it to you."

"Ok, well I tried" said Naruto lowering himself into a stance. His right hand raised horizontal to his face, his left in a vertical form before his chest. Both feet were well balanced with his left foot pointed in Kakashi's direction.

"Hm, that's not the academy stance."

"I know, made it myself by mixing three taijutsu styles into one." Naruto replied. The Dim Mak or Kyusho-jitsu, it is a style that focuses on attacking the body's pressure points resulting in the incapacitation or outright crippling of the opponent. Bone breaker, like the name suggests strikes the weakest areas of the bone structure with devastating speed and force. And Aikido, which allows you to throw and incapacitate your opponent via joint manipulation.

Look at the names carved on this stone, these are the names praised as heroes in this village.

"Yup, I'm going to be on that stone someday" Naruto declared.

Kakashi sighed. "Those are not normal heroes. They are K.I.A."

"That means killed in action Naruto" supplied Sakura.

"Exactly, when I die, it's going to be on the battlefield. In a blaze of fire, not lying in some dingy old bed." He finished theatrically.

**Chp2: Wave Arc**

Team

Team seven walked into the mission issuing depot

The team was walking along the path to Nami. Sakura was talking to Kakashi and Tazuna about the different ninja villages while Sasuke walked in front of the group and Naruto held the rear.

"So that means Hokage-sama is really strong then, if there's only five ninja with his rank." said Sakura.

"Not exactly" Kakashi replied, never turning away from his precious orange book "see, shinobi are ranked just like your missions. Genin are D and C-ranked shinobi, a low C at that. Chunin are C and B-ranked while Jonin are almost exclusively A-ranked. Then there is the S-rank, these are shinobi who have reached such a level that they can take on an army of ninja by single-handedly. These are the kage of the five elemental villages."

"Wow, so what if something happens to a Kage. Are there anymore to take their place? I mean Sandaime-sama took back over from the Yondaime."

"In all, they're probably twenty shinobi alive in the world today that hold the S-rank. Along with the five kage, are the legendary Sannin of Konoha, they were the students of Sandaime-sama. Then there's Hanzo of the salamander, the leader of Ame, he single handedly defeated the Sannin and gave them their title. Remember, just like there's low, mid and high level chunin/jonin there's different classification for the S-ranked shinobi as well."

Kakashi looked over his students. Sakura was asking some good questions, she looked pensive, obviously she was wondering where she stood on the ladder. He looked forward and saw Sasuke walking with a scowl and his fist clenched. 'I guess all of them are thinking' he guessed. He hadn't even heard Naruto in a while. "Naruto, you ok back there?" he asked, his eye still on his pages.

"Yea," supplemented Sakura, "you better not be planning anything back- what the hell are you wearing Naruto-baka!?" she screamed "When'd you get those."

Everyone turned to look at Naruto who no longer wore the orange monstrosity he left the village wearing. Now he wore his normal black clothes and orange accessories without the sage cloak. Between his shoulder blades a large orange spiral could be seen along with the sheathed orange tanto. He was also reading a small green book.

"I'm fine senpai, I was just thinking about what you were saying." He replied ignoring Sakura.

"Hn, dobe."

Having arrived in Nami no Kuni the group continued their trek to Tazuna's home when Naruto suddenly launched a kunai into the direction of the woods. It turned out to only be a white rabbit, it had been pierced through the skull by the kunai.

"Naruto you monster, why'd you have to kill the cute bunny rabbit?" squealed Sakura while Kakashi had a pensive look on his… eye.

"Hn, those new clothes won't make you into a real ninja, looser."

Suddenly Kakashi heard a whooshing sound in the air. "Get down!" he shouted, taking Sakura down with him with Naruto had the client. They narrowly escaped the sword which sailed over their heads, when they looked up the saw the culprit who had landed on the sword embedded in a tree.

Zabuza Mamochi, the Kirigakure no kijin.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he said as he cast his eyes over the group behind him. "Sharingan Kakashi, no wonder the demon brothers failed, facing the likes of you. Oh, and I see you have kids. It seems congratulations are in order, as long as you hand over the old man of course. Else I may have to cut the family short."

"If it isn't Za-"

"Zabuza Mamochi," Naruto interrupted Kakashi. "A-ranked missing-nin of Kirigakure and master of the silent killing technique, wanted for the attempted assassination of the Yondaime Mizukage. Hmm, nice bounty." he finished putting his book away behind him.

"Ha, so even the brats know of my legend. Well, enough chating time to take out the old man." Said Zabuza before he dashed over to the pond and the mist started to roll in.

Team 7 quickly took position around Tazuna while Kakashi prepared to engage the demon of the mist and the mist thickened.

"Sensei, where'd he go?" ask Sakura.

"Still here, be careful, as Naruto said he's a master of the silent killing technique. So fast you'll be dead before you notice. So be on-"

"Eight points, larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Which one should I choose?" came Zabuza's voice from the infinite mist.

Then Kakashi unleashed his chakra, Sasuke, Sakura and Tazuna froze and started trembling while Naruto chuckled and pulled his headband down over his eyes. He could feel the position of every chakra signature in the clearing, from their heart rates to their movements. Even the extra signature in the forest and Sasuke's actions of attempted suicide.

"Sasuke," came Kakashi's voice "relax, I won't allow my comrades to die."

"I wouldn't be so sure" came a voice from behind them. "It's ov-" he started before he was once turned into a puddle of water causing the formation to scatter. Except for Naruto, who had swiped the clone's head off with a kodaichi which was mistaken for a tanto before. It had a black blade, a orange straight edge and a series of seals written on it.

"Naruto behind you!" shouted Kakashi as he rushed to Naruto who was promptly sliced in half before turning into a puddle of water. "It's over." He said with a kunai to Zabuza's neck.

"Hm, so at least one of your brats have some skill" said Zabuza from behind Kakashi.

"What!" replied Kakashi started as he ended the clone before him and ducked the swipe of Zabuza's blade behind him only to receive a kick which made him turn to water also. When he reappears he was hit with the flat edge of the sword and launched to the water.

As he was rising from the water Zabazu appeared behind him, "I've got you now fool, Suiton: water prison jutsu." Now Kakashi was captured in a swirling ball of water attached to his arm. "To call brats like you ninja hn, what a joke." He said as he created a water clone.

"Get the bridge-builder and run," Kakashi ordered "this battle was over the moment I was captured. His water-clone can't travel far from his body, if you get away, he can't follow. NOW RUN!"

"So what happens when he kills you and follows, hm?" asked a nonchalant voice. "He'd be able to follow and kill us then?"

"Naruto?"

"Are you asking your precious students to become less than trash?" he continued.

"The dobe's right" said Sasuke as he charged Zubuza's clone throwing shuriken before him only for them to be batted away with his sword. He was then countered with a knee to the guts then slammed to the floor with an elbow to the solar-plexus where a foot was harshly slammed into his stomach. "Gahh" screamed Sasuke as blood flew out of his mouth.

"Brats, shame to the name ninja. When you become so deadly, you end up in my bingo book then you may have earned the title, but brats like you."

"Yawn!" came Naruto's voice. "Well, Tazuna. What say you, you're the client afterall. Try to save the sensei or run with or tails between our legs."

"It's my fault you're in this situation anyway," he answered. "Go ahead kid, save your sensei."

"Well, you heard him senpai. Sorry to disappoint you, but looks like you get to live another day." said Naruto as a kunai appeared in his hand.

"Haha, gaki. What are you going to do with a kunai. You won't touc-"

"Oops, I missed" said Naruto as the clone crashed into a puddle of water and the original Zabuza's arm opened in a gush of blood.

"Seems I underestimated you." growled Zabuza as blood dripped from his arm. When suddenly he was surrounded by three Narutos who stabbed kunai in each of his arms causing Kakashi to be released while one held a kunai to his neck.

"I win" said Naruto when a senbon appeared in Zabuza's neck and the Naruto cones disappeared in a cloud of smoke. A white masked robed ninja appeared on the water and held Zabuza over his shoulder.

"Thank you, Konoha ninja. I've been hunting this one for a while" said the masked ninja.

"Naruto, we need to talk"

"Sure, what about."

"You've shown some skills, that I was unaware of, that a genin shouldn't have." he fished.

"Thanks, you've shown some pretty nice skills too senpai."

Kakashi gave him a piercing look and Naruto stared back lazily.

"Well?" inquired Kakashi.

"Well what?"

"Stop evading the question. There's no way you could've advanced from where you were in the academy to where you are now."

"Why not?" Naruto returned in an unconcerned tone. "Look Hatake-san, I haven't broken any rules, all I've done is protect my teammates and client within the parameters of the mission.

Kakashi continued his piercing glare "You do know I can site you for insubordination, that or a session in T&I."

"Sure, whatever gets you off. I'm going to get some information, I'll be back with a report in a few hours." Naruto said as he walked to the door.

"And how are you going to do that? You know, as your sensei I should be aware of your skill sets."

"Not once have I called you sensei, senpai" he replied as he walked out the door.


End file.
